What a SUMMER! The Mt. Haley Youth Ministry has had a summer to remember!  We just returned yesterday from a camping trip to Mio for camping, tubing, a cook-out with the Mio Youth, Sunday morning service with the Mio Church of God, fun, food and lots of conversation, teasing and bonding.  It was a great weekend!  Thank you Jo & Lawrence Adams and Darren Allen for helping to host the weekend.  We shared this month in the Midland County Fair, Michigan Adventure, and the St. Louis Camp Meeting while Connie & I even sneaked in a trip to Atlanta, Georgia to visit our son & wife.  As you are reading this, Labor Day Weekend is approaching or you have celebrated it already.  We are excited because our kids are coming home for the weekend.  We hope you have a great weekend!

School & the Mt. Haley Rally Day are coming up quickly.  On Sunday, September 8 after the morning service we will be gathering at the parsonage for food, excitement, games, a softball game, volleyball and lots of fun together.  WE INVITE EVERYONE TO COME!   (It will be in the Fellowship Hall if raining.)

On Sunday, September 15, 2013, the new youth year begins with our first weekly 6:00pm meeting. We will be having youth for 6th & 7th grade boys every Tuesday with the same arrangements as last year. We will begin the year with a four-week study called “The Circle Makers.”  Youth is EVERY Sunday evening unless otherwise noted.  One week we will tentatively NOT have youth will be Sunday, November 10th because Connie & I will be attending the baptism of one of our granddaughters.  We will continue our Bible Study every Sunday morning @ 10:00am with “The Parables of Jesus.”  We always encourage you and our students to attend our Morning Worship Service @ 11:00am on Sundays.  All families should have received the new 2013-2014 Permission Slip in the mail and we hope to have those turned in ASAP.

We are having a MUM sale on Saturday and Sunday, September 7th & 8th from 3:00 – 5:00pm (Saturday) and until 4:00pm on Sunday.  There will be 75 plants of various colors delivered to Mt. Haley and on a first come, first served basis, plants may be purchased for $9 each, or 3 for $25.  Students may take pre-orders for the mums and earn $4 per plant for their youth accounts, or you may designate purchases for individual students.  We thank you in advance for your support of the youth.  There will be other projects coming up such as doing yard work, sponsoring a meal at the church’s business meeting in October, plus working other fundraisers.

On Wednesday, September 25, 2013, the annual “See You At The Pole” event will be held at our local high schools & middle schools.  SYATP is an opportunity for our students to gather around their school flagpole and pray for their school, their friends, their families and anything else that could be a matter of prayer.  Watch for more details as the day becomes closer.  Join in with the students and pray for them that early morning!  Prayer Makes a Difference!

In the last week of September (day to be determined) there will be a parent & student meeting about attending the International Youth Convention in July of next summer in Nashville, TN.   A $115 Early Bonus Bird Registration is due by December 12, 2013.  We will need to discuss purpose, missions, fundraising and other important details.  We hope you will come and hear about this wonderful opportunity for your kids.

We have had an information meeting about Guatemala and the $100 Registration for the mission trip is due by Sunday, September 8th.  This is generally for adults but we have had older youth participate also.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

As the new school year begins, we know that the students are involved in many activities after school and on weekends.  One of my favorite things to do is attending & providing encouragement and support for your son or daughter as well as joining you in the stands. If your student runs cross country, cheers, plays in the band, acts in a play, whatever it is, PLEASE let me know – I try to follow schedules, but it really helps when I am informed of events.  Thanks for your help.

September brings the third year of serving Mt. Haley as your Youth Pastor and we are extremely excited for the opportunities, the challenges and the privileges of sharing Jesus Christ with the youth, the parents, the church and community.  We have been abundantly blessed with the love, support and encouragement as the ministry has grown spiritually and in numbers. We anticipate further growth as the students spread the word and share with their friends the good news of Christ and the ministry happening at Mt. Haley.  Please encourage your kids to share and bring their friends as we grow each Sunday, PLUS we want you to know you are always welcomed also. Special thanks also go to Lawrence and Jo Adams as they so generously share their lives, gifts and talents to help out with our teens.  May we give all the glory to Christ our King!

Parents and Church, your prayers, support and encouragement are greatly appreciated and we look forward every week to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our students through interaction, study, fellowship and relationship.  Thank you for sharing your son or daughter.

Love God, Love People!
Blessings, Pastor Jerry